"There are
without doubt sacred objects in this collection. There are those with bullet holes
and blood stains. People have lost their lives in the defense of these flags."--NY State Assemblyman Jack McEneny, 1994

New York's 1,000 Civil War flags are literally threatened with extinction. If we do
not commit to their preservation very soon, these emblems of sacrifice and bravery will
cease to exist. What follows are various articles about the situation and links to
e-mail Governor Pataki and state senators and representatives.

"1. The
adjutant general shall cause the chief of staff of the state to establish and maintain as
part of his office, a bureau of war records, in which all records in his office relating
to the wars in which the the state participated, and relics shall be kept. The chief
of staff of the state shall be the custodian of all such records, relics, colors,
standards and battle flags of New York troops now the property of the state or in its
possession, or which the state may hereafter acquire or become possessed of. The
adjutant general, upon recommendation of the chief of staff, shall appoint a chief of this
bureau, who shall hold office under his direction for six years.

2. The chief of
staff of the state by all reasonable ways and means, shall complete such records and
gather from very available source such colors, standards and battle flags as were borne by
New York state troops in the wars in which the state participated, and such statistics and
historical information and relics as may serve to perpetuate the memory and heroic deeds
of the soldiers of the state, AND KEEP AND
CAREFULLY PRESERVE THE SAME IN SUCH BUREAU.

5. ...THE LEGISLATURE SHALL ANNUALLY MAKE SUITABLE APPROPRIATIONS
TO ENABLE THE ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE STATE TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
SECTION."

Source: McKinney's
Consolidated Laws of New York Annotated, Book 35, Military Law, pp. 49-51.

This
just in from theNYDept of Military & Naval Affairs...

Almost immediately after sending out my broadcast e-mail about NY's new flag preservation
project, I received the following e-mail from Major R. H. von Hasseln,
DMNA Historian:

July 29, 1998

Dear Sir:

Much has been happening on NYS battle flags over the past year. All the statutory
authorities have made their appointments to the NYS Temporary Commission on battle flags
and this will convene presently.

In preparation for this, the Division of Military and Naval Affairs secured significant
federal grant money to conduct a Curatorial Assessment Project (CAP), by which all flags
were inventoried, a representative sample professionally examined, and a detailed
restoration proposal made.

Working with the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historical Preservation, DMNA is about
to unveil the first ten flags restored.

Another flag (5th Zouaves) was restored by money provided through the good offices of
State Senator Owen Johnson and is now on display at state military headquarters. DMNA also
raised funds to preserve the "Prince of Wales" flag of the "Fighting
69th".

We are also working with other groups and organizations to raise funds and accomplish
preservation of flags in the capitol, elsewhere in state possession, and in local
government/historical agency hands.

DMNA continues to search for a suitable location for a permanent home for the battle flags
and the rest of its historical collection. The collection (minus the flags at the capitol)
has been relocated from the basement of the old Washington Avenue Armory to better
quarters at Watervliet Arsenal.

DMNA is also considering reissuing a previous publication of its regarding New York State
flags, with expended coverage of the battle flags.

And, although this is the most effective progress made in the last hundred years, it is
only the beginning of our efforts. If you wish to know more, please contact me at (518)
786-4481, or Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Lynch, Historical Properties Manager, at (518)
786-4371.

R. H. von HasselnMajor, Field Artillery
Military and Naval Historian

The
colors of the 127th NY to be preserved;One Civil War Roundtable's success

HUNTINGTON, NY (via Ben Maryniak, Buffalo CWRT)-- The regimental flag of the 127th New
York Infantry will be preserved with an $8000 grant which was allocated in this year's New
York State Budget , according to Cass Baker of the North Shore CWRT, in Huntingon. According to Cass, the 127th was raised
in Suffolk and New York Counties, and was "our boys from our township".
They were also known as "The Monitors". In a recent correspondance, Baker stated
that the Roundtable spent several months doing research at the local and state level,
having the flag's preservation appraised by a conservator and contacting local and state
officials to enlist their support. "Ultimately, our two US senators
became enlisted in the cause and we persevered," Baker stated. The Roundtable succeeded in lobbying for
an $8000 grant from the Legislature, which will cover the entire preservation cost.
When completed the flag will be displayed in the Huntington Town Hall in a special
ceremony before being returned to Albany. Cass stated that her committee
has learned a great deal about this process and is willing to assist others with similar
projects. She can be reached at 93 Fairmount St., Huntington, NY, 11743.

A
suggestion from one correspondant

An unnamed correspondant has suggested that the Legislature enact a check-off on State
income tax returns of $5 to go to the flags. Comments?

Click on the title for an excerpt from Presentation of Flags of New York Volunteer
Regiments to the Governor, July 4, 1865 (published by the Chief of Bureau of Military
Record, Albany, 1865).

We must
act now!!

Send an e-mail
message to your State Senator and Assemblyman. Explain how you feel
about the State's neglect of our heritage and that you want their commitment to saving
NY's flags - then stay in contact and make sure they do

If you're involved
with a Civil War Roundtable, Sons of Union Veterans Camp, living history regiment, or
other Civil War group, get them involved

Send copies of any
correspondence you receive from the Governor or legislators to George Contant, 16 South
Governors Ave., Dover, DE 19904.

Here's
what to say

Keep it short --no more than a page and a half, typewritten.

Think about what you're going to write first.

Keep it to the point --do not ramble.

Keep it friendly --for now.

Know about the service of the men from your areaand speak briefly about
them.

Pick a particular flag that is of significance to your legislator's district, confirm with
DMNA that it is in the collection and is preservable,and
talk about it. It is possibleyou may convince
him or her to use some of his own discretionary fundsto have it preserved.

Encourage him or her to provide funding for the State's flag preservation and housing
program.